Home Inspections For Sellers: How To Prepare
If you’re thinking about selling your house, it’s important to know what the home inspection is and what inspectors look for. As supply grows and buyers regain negotiation power, you may find you want to do some select repairs with a good return on investment before listing to get ahead of things a buyer may ask you to fix. To decide what's worth tackling, you need expert advice. Let's chat so you know what to prioritize.
Is Affordability Starting To Improve?
Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have had a hard time buying a home. And while affordability is still tight, there are signs it's getting a little better and might keep improving throughout the rest of the year. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “Housing affordability is improving ever so modestly, but it is moving in the right direction.” Here’s a look at the latest data on the three biggest factors affecting home affordability: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages. 1. Mortgage Rates Mortgage rates have been volatile this year, bouncing around from the mid-6% to low 7% range. But there's some good news. Data from Freddie Mac shows rates have been trending down overall since May (see graph below): Mortgage rates have improved lately in part because of recent economic, employment, and inflation data. Moving forward, some rate volatility is to be expected. But if future economic data continues to show signs of cooling, experts say mortgage rates could keep going down. Even a small drop can help you out. When rates decline, it's easier to afford the home you want because your monthly payment will be lower. Just don’t expect them to go back down to 3%. 2. Home Prices The second big thing to think about is home prices. Nationally, they’re still going up this year, but not as fast as they did a couple of years ago. The graph below uses home price data from Case-Shiller to illustrate that point: If you're thinking about buying a home, slower price growth is good news. Home prices went up a lot during the pandemic, making it hard for many people to buy. Now, with prices rising more slowly, buying a home may feel less out of reach. As Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, says: “While housing affordability is low for potential first-time home buyers, slowing price appreciation and lower mortgage rates could help – so the dream of homeownership isn’t boarded up just yet.” 3. Wages Another factor helping with affordability is rising wages. The graph below uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to show how wages have increased over time: Look at the blue dotted line. It shows how wages usually go up in a typical year. On the right side of the graph, you'll see wages are rising even faster than normal right now – that's the green line. This helps you because if your income increases, it's easier to afford a home. That’s because you won't have to spend as much of your paycheck on your monthly mortgage payment. Bottom Line When you put all these factors together, you see mortgage rates are trending down, home prices are rising more slowly, and wages are going up faster than usual. Though affordability is still a challenge, these trends are early signs things might be starting to improve.
The Great Wealth Transfer: A New Era of Opportunity
In recent years, there’s been a significant shift in how wealth is distributed among generations. It’s called the Great Wealth Transfer. Historically, the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next was a more gradual process, often limited to smaller amounts of inheritance or family savings. But today, the scale has increased in a big way. As a recent article from Bankrate says: “The biggest wave of wealth in history is about to pass from Baby Boomers over the next 20 years, and it’s going to have major impacts on many facets of life. Called The Great Wealth Transfer, $84 trillion is poised to move from older Americans to Gen X and millennials. If it’s managed smartly, Americans will be able to grow their wealth and ensure their financial security.” Basically, as more Baby Boomers retire, sell businesses, or downsize their homes, more substantial assets are being passed down to younger generations. And this creates a powerful ripple effect that’ll continue over the next few decades. The graph below uses data from Merrill and Cerulli Associates to give you an idea of how much inherited money is set to change hands through 2045: Impact on the Housing Market One of the most immediate effects of this wealth transfer is on the housing market. Home affordability has been a concern for many aspiring buyers, especially in high-demand areas. The increase in generational wealth is expected to ease some of these challenges by providing future homeowners with greater financial resources. As assets are passed down through generations, buyers may find themselves in a better position to afford homes. Merrill talks about that benefit in a recent article: “While millennials face steep barriers . . . to buying a first home in many markets, ‘that’s a for-now story, not a forever story’ . . . The Great Wealth Transfer should enable more of them to become homeowners — or trade up or add a second home — either through inherited property or the funds for a down payment.” Impact on the Economy But the Great Wealth Transfer doesn’t just impact housing. It’s also going to provide a new avenue for entrepreneurial spirits to fuel economic growth. If someone is looking to start a business and they’re receiving funds like this, that money can used as the necessary capital to start a new company. This helps the next generation of innovators and business owners bring their ideas to life. Bottom Line While affordability remains a challenge in today’s housing market, the ongoing Great Wealth Transfer is poised to unlock new opportunities. As wealth is passed down and put to use, it’s expected to ease some of the barriers to homeownership and fuel other entrepreneurial endeavors.
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